Railway vehicle underframe construction



May 30, 1967 Filed Feb, 23.

J. W. BURGER ETAL RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet1 Jli INVENTORS JACK W. BURGER WILLIAM VAN DER SLUYS M y 3 1967 J. w.BORGER ETAL 3,322,072

RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFBAME CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23,1965 INVENTORS JACK W. BURGER WLLIAM VAN DER SLUYS vBY g gflw ATT'Y.

y 30, 1957 J. w. BORGER ETAL RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTORS ltlilillll'lll RS w ML 8 Rm KN CA AV J M/ m. L M J ATT'Y.

May 30, 1957 J. w. BORGER ETAL 3,322,072

RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 23, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 4 ATT'Y.

United States Patent 3,322,072 RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRANIE CONSTRUCTIONJack W. Borger, Chicago, and William Van Der Sluys,

Homewood, Ill., assignors to Pullman Incorporated,

Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No.434,517 1 Claim. (Cl. 105-422) The present invention relates to railwayvehicles and more particularly to a new and improved underfrarne andfloor structure for a passenger railway vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger railwayvehicle with a floor arrangement which is constructed and arranged toresist the tensile stresses when the vehicle is subjected to bendingunder load.

It is a further object to provide a passenger railway vehicle floorarrangement including a plurality of small sections constructed andarranged such that the transverse junctures of the sections lie alonglines substantially coinciding with the lines of contraflexure of thecharacteristic bending moment curve of the vehicle.

It is still a further object to provide a passenger railway vehiclefloor arrangement formed of a plurality of floor sections of a lengthwhich continuously spans the portion of the floor which is subject tobending under load and which sections are arranged so that the abuttingtransverse edges theof lie substantially along the lines ofcontraflexure of the characteristic bending moment curve of the vehicle.

It is another object to provide a passenger railway vehicle with a newand novel side sill structure which facilitates the installation of theflooring into the underframe.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a floor panelstructure which provides insulation and is substantially devoid ofwarpage caused by temperature and humidity changes.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the underframe of a railway vehicleembodying the structure of the present invention with only a portion ofthe outside side sill being shown for the purpose of illustratingunderlying details of structure.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the railway vehicle of FIG. 1 withsome of the parts being broken away to show underlying details ofstructure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generaly along the lines 33 ofFIG. 2 and showing the typical juncture of the transverse abutting edgesof the floor sheets.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 2 and showing the juncture of the floor sheets along thelongitudinal abutting edges.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 ofFIG. 2 and showing the side sill of the present invention and the mannerin which the outer longitudinal edge of the flooring is supportedthereon.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 ofFIG. 2 and showing the manner in which the flooring is supported at theend sill.

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the under-frame and floorarrangement and having superposed thereon the typical bending momentcurve of the vehicle under load.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention is embodied in arailway car underframe 10 comprising essentially a pair of laterallyspaced and longitudinally extending side sills 11 to the outer ends ofwhich there are fixed end sills 12. Spanning the side sills 11 and fixedthereto are bolsters 13 which are connected to the adjacent one of theend sills 12 by center sills 14. Spanning the side sills 11 between thebolsters 13 is an intermediate floor support structure 16 includingtransversely extending cross-bearers 17 and longitudinally extendingmembers 18 fixed between the cross-bearers 17. The outer ends of theunderframe between the bolsters 13 and end sills 12 include end framefloor support structure 19 and 20. Disposed and supported on theintermediate and end frame supporting structures 16, 19 and 20 are floorpanels of planks 2121, 2222 and 23-23.

The side sills 11 as shown in particular in FIG. 5 may be formed of twocomponents including an inner or inside sill member 26 which may beformed as a right angular member including a horizontal leg 27 and avertical leg 28. The inside sill member 26 is preferably fromed fromsteel. Fixed to the outer face of the vertical leg 28 is a downwardlydepending vertical member 29 of an outside sill member 31. Extendinginwardly from the vertical leg is a horizontal leg 32 which is arrangedto lie substantially coplanar with the top surface of the floor planks21-21, 2222, and 2323. The outside sill member 31 is preferably formedfrom aluminum and may be contoured to impart an attractive outerappearance to the vehicle. The inside and outside sill members 26 and31, respectively, are sized so as to be capable of assuming the loadsimposed thereon during use of the railway vehicle. As more fully to beexplained herein-after, the outside sill member 31 is fastened orassembled to the inside sill member 26 by means of fasteners 34 or thelike after substantially the entire underframe has been assembled.Depending downwardly from and fixed to the horizontal leg 27 of the sidesill member is a body skirt 36 which may be formed of a light weightmaterial such as aluminum or the like. Extending lengthwise along thebottom of the body skirt 36 is an angle member 37 which is suitablyfastened to the underside of an inwardly extending horizontal limb orflange 38. Suitable vertical bracing 39 may be selectably spacedlengthwise of the body skirt 36 and fixed along the vertical edgesbetween the vertical web 41 and the upright leg 42 of the angle 37 andalong the horizontal edges between the flange 38 and flange 40 of theskirt 36.

As shown, particularly in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the crossbearers 17 areformed as a substantially channel shaped member including a vertical web43 from the upper and lower edges of which there extend upper and lowerhorizontal webes 43a and 45, respectively. The ends of each of thecross-bearers 17 are fixed to'the inside sill members 26 prior to theassembly of the outside sill member 31 to the former. As shown in FIG. 5the outer terminal vertical edge of the cross-bearers 17 abuts againstthe vertical web 28 of the inside sill member 26 and is fixed thereto asby welding. The lower cross-bearer horizontal web 45 is supported on thehorizontal leg 27 and is fixed thereto also as by welding. The assemblyof the crossbearer and the side sill is facilitated by the fact that theoutside sill member 31 is not attached to the inside sill member 26 atthis time.

The center sills 14 extending between the bolsters 13, which are formedwith a substantially box like section, and end sills 12 at each end ofthe vehicle 10, each comprises essentially a pair of transversely spacedchannel members 44. Disposed and fixed on the center sill members 14 onthe right end of the car as viewed in FIG. 2 is the end frame floorsupport structure. 19 which comprises essentially a longitudinallyextending plate 46 in-.

termediate the channels 44 and having one end fixed at one end to thebolster 13 and at the other end to the end sill 12. Supported on thelongitudinally extending plate 46 in a manner so that the upper surfacesthereof are substantially coplanar is a transversely extending plate 47which is fixed at its ends to the channels 44. The transverse plate 47may be provided with a cutout for accommodating the drawbar mechanism(not shown).

At the left end of the railway vehicle 10 the frame support structure 20includes a longitudinally extending plate 46 fixed at one end to thebolster 13 and at the other end to the end sill 12. The left end of thevehicle as shown may not be provided with a drawbar such that thedrawbar plate 47 may be eliminated. Substituted therefor are a pair oflengthwise spaced transversely extending plates 49 which span and arefixed at their respective ends to the channel members 44. Thelongitudinal plate 48 and transversely extending plates 49 are arrangedso as to lie substantially in the same plane and provide a substantiallyuninterrupted floor supporting surface.

The floor panels or planks 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23 are of substantiallyidentical construction differing in respect of length for reasons whichwill become more apparent hereinafter. The planks comprise a core 51made from a light weight material such as balsa wood. Adhered to the topand bottom surfaces of the balsa wood core as by bonding with a suitableadhesive, is a thin metallic plate 52 which may be aluminum or the like.Preferably the materials employed are such as to result in a lightweight structure providing maximum strength. The use of the preferredmaterials of aluminum and balsa with the aluminum sheets adhered to thetop and bottom surfaces of the balsa core 51 also achieves a floor whichis substantially free of warpage which may result from temperature andhumidity changes. At the same time the floor structure is of suflicientstrength to absorb some of the tensile stresses applied to the vehiclewhen loaded. To obtain the maximum benefit from this characteristic ofthe floor structure, the sheets are formed and dimensioned such that thelength falls along the transverse lines of contraflexure of thecharacteristic bending moment curve of the vehicle under load.

As shown in particular in FIGS. 2 and 4 the intermediate floor structure16 comprises the cross-bearers 17 and the longitudinally extendingmembers 18 which are fixed at their ends between adjacent ones of thecrossbearers 17 or to the bolster 13. The longitudinal member 18comprises essentially a channel member having a vertical web 53 fromwhich there extend upper and lower horizontal webs 54 and 55,respectively. The upper web 54 is cut away at its point of attachment tothe crossbearer 17 so that the vertical web 53 abuts against thehorizontal web 43 of the cross-bearer 17 and is fixed thereto as bywelding. The cut-away portion defines a terminal edge on the upperhorizontal web 54 which is fixed to the terminal edge of the upper web43a of the cross-bearers as by welding. In this manner the inter-.

mediate support horizontal webs 54 and the horizontal cross-bearer webs43a are substantially coplanar to provide a level support surface forthe floor planks adapted to be supported thereon.

As is well known, the bending moment characteristics of a railwayvehicle under load are readily predictable. Such bending momentcharacteristics are of significance in determining the failurecharacteristics of the vehicle. Typically, as shown in FIG. 7, thecharacteristic bending moment curve results in two points or transverselines a and b of contraflexure or zero bending lengthwise of the car andwhich normally occur somewhat inwardly of the bolsters 13. The remainderof the vehicle is subject to bending as shown resulting in the creationof tensile stresses in the vehicle. Heretofore it has been commonpractice to form the floor planks of small sections which wereindiscriminately placed so that the floor was incapable of impartingsubstantial strength to the vehicle,

particularly in absorbing the tensile stresses resulting from thebending under load. In accordance with the present invention the floorplanks 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23 are formed of a sufficient length so as tocontinuously extend between the lines of contraflexure of the car andthus are capable of assuming some of the tensile stresses imparted onthe car during bending. As shown, planks 21-21, 22-22, and 23-23 arearranged so that the abutting edges of the planks 21 and 22 and theabutting edges of the planks 22 and 23 lie along the respective lines ofcontraflexure a and b. Conveniently, the cross-bearers 17 are spaced andlocated so that one lies along each of the lines of contraflexure.Moreover, there are two sets of floor planks employed; one set 21, 22and 23 lying on one side of the intermediate or longitudinally extendingmembers 18 and 46 and the other set 21, 22 and 23 on the opposite sidethereof.

The adjoining longitudinal edges of the planks 22-22 as shown in FIG. 4are fixed to the intermediate member 18 as by fastening studs 56. Theadjoining longitudinal edges of the planks 21-21 and 23-23 which overliethe end frame supports may be fastened similarly to the members 46. Asshown in FIG. 5, the outer longitudinal edges supported on the sidesills 11 are supported on a Z-angle 57 which includes a horizontal leg58 fixed to a vertically depressed section 59 formed adjacent the end ofthe crossbearer 17. The outer longitudinal edges of the planks 21, 22and 23 are placed in close proximity to a vertical web 61 of the Z-angle57 which terminates at its upper end in a horizontal extending flange62. The horizontal flange 62 is arranged to support the horizontal leg32 of theouter side sill member 31 substantially coplanar with the uppersurface of the planking 21, 22 and 23.

For providing reinforcement to the horizontal flange 58 7 there may beprovided a plurality of lengthwise spaced gusset angles 63 having leg 64fixed as by welding to the horizontal web 43 of the cross-bearer 17 anda leg 66 disposed between the terminal edge of the cross-bearers 17 andthe vertical leg 29 of the outside sill 31. The gusset angle 64 extendsupwardly and underlies the horizontal leg 58 of the Z angle 57.

As shown in FIG. 6 the end planks 21 and 23 may each' be supported alongthe outer edges adjacent to the end sills 12 on the horizontal leg 67 ofan angle member 68 having a vertical leg 69 fastened as bywelding to avertical plate 71 of the end sill 12. The angle 68 is located so thatthe upper surface of the outer planks 21 and 23 is substantiallycoplanar with the upper surface of the end sills 12. Filling the voidsat the lines of transverse and longitudinal juncture of the planks 21,22 and 23 with each other and with the frame members is a suitablemastic '72.

From the foregoing description it should be readily apparent that withthe floor planks 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23 attached to the underframe andsized so as to span the lines of contraflexure a and b, during bendingunder load, the planking will assist in strengthening the underframe.Moreover, the strength of the underframe is increased by a minimumincrease in weight for the reason that the floor planks are constructedof the relatively lightweight balsa wood and aluminum sheetconstruction. This floor construction is further advantageous in that itdoes not warp when subjected to temperature and humidity changes as domany of the other types of known flooring constructions.

What is claimed is:

A railway vehicle underframe comprising two transversely spaced sidesills extending lengthwise of said vehicle, lengthwise spaced bolstersfixed between said side sills inwardly of the ends thereof, end sillsfastened across the respective ends of said side sills, said side sillseach in eluding an inner sill member and an outer sill member, saidinner sill member having an inwardly extending horizontal leg and anupwardly extending vertical leg, said outer sill member including adownwardly depending web overlying and fixed to said upwardly extendingvertical leg of said inner sill member, said outer sill furtherincluding a horizontal Web projecting inwardly from the upper end ofsaid vertical web, a floor support structure including a plurality ofcross-bearers spaced lengthwise of said vehicle, said cross-bearersbeing fixed at the ends thereof to said inner sill members of said sidesills, and floor planks supported on said cross-bearers, said floorplanks being of a thickness to lie substantially coplanar With saidhorizontal webs of said outer sill member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sage 105-416 Doke 105-422 Greig296-28 Osborn 105-422 Gutridge et al. 105-454 ARTHUR L. LA POINT,Primary Examiner. D. E. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner.

